Overview

• Jake Larson, known online as “Papa Jake,” died peacefully on July 17 at age 102, his granddaughter announced on his TikTok account.
• Tributes poured in from his more than 1.2 million followers, veterans’ organizations and Normandy museums honoring his role as a living witness to World War II.
• McKaela Larson asked for family privacy in her announcement and vowed to keep sharing her grandfather’s firsthand WWII memories on social media.
• Larson launched his TikTok channel in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown and became a centenarian storyteller who blended humor with solemn reflections.
• He enlisted at 15 by lying about his age, stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, earned a Bronze Star and the French Legion of Honour, and co-won an Emmy in June for his D-Day interview.